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Mamata on dharna to save herself from CBI: Javadekar

Kolkata, Feb 4: Union minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar Monday claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on a dharna to save herself from the CBI.

Banerjee began her sit-in protest at a city landmark on Sunday night over the CBI’s attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with chit fund scams, insisting it stifled the spirit of “Constitution and federalism”.

In a dramatic showdown with the Modi government, the furious Trinamool Congress chief began a sit-in right in front of the Metro Cinema to protest “insults” she faced at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, hours after a CBI team that had gone to question Kumar was detained in a rare face-off between the police establishments of the Centre and the state.

The West Bengal chief minister had on Sunday said that she would not attend the presentation of the state Budget at the state Assembly on Monday and described the evolving situation an “emergency”.

Hitting back, Javadekar, at a press conference here, said, “This is not Narendra Modi’s emergency but Mamata Banerjee’s emergency in Bengal. She is on dharna to save herself from the CBI.”

The Union HRD minister claimed that constitutional order has completely broken down in the state, but stopped short of demanding imposition of President’s rule in West Bengal.

“We would say both law and order and Constitutional order has completely broken down in the state,” Javadekar said.

On whether the BJP would demand imposition of President’s rule in the state, he said, “We won’t say anything as of now.